Newcastle United have reportedly stepped up their efforts to sign Arsenal target Ivan Fresneda in the January transfer window, with the Magpies ready to accelerate talks to close the deal.
Newcastle United have reportedly upped the ante in their January pursuit of Real Valladolid youngster Ivan Fresneda, who is also a target for Premier League leaders Arsenal.
That is according to the Daily Mail, which claims that the Magpies have been scouting the teenager for a long time and are now looking to ramp up their efforts to bring the 18-year-old right-back to St James’ Park.
Regarded as one of the most talented young right-backs around at the moment, the 18-year-old has been one of the revelations of the season with his spectacular displays for Real Valladolid, impressing the on-lookers with his tenacity, creativity, and ball-playing skills.
His stellar performances, combined with the fact that his current contract with the Spanish club — which expires in the summer of 2025 — contains a release clause of just £8.7 million, have made him a hot property in the transfer market among top clubs in Europe, with Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, and Newcastle United all heavily linked with a move to sign the highly-rated defensive prospect.
Newcastle United, for one, are currently on the lookout for a new right-back to serve as a backup to star defender Kieran Trippier. Fresneda is understood to match the type of player Eddie Howe and co. are looking to sign this month.
Fresneda’s age profile, price tag, and high ceiling would represent excellent value and once again demonstrate the sensible recruitment drive that is now underway at St James’ Park, contrary to what some may have envisaged when the takeover went through over a year ago.
He won’t be displacing current No. 1 Kieran Trippier relatively soon; instead, he’ll learn the trade from the England international, whose top-level experience, crossing ability, leadership skills, and elite mindset are invaluable to this Newcastle side.
With Trippier being 32 years old, he won’t sustain his present high standards for long. Fresneda will be Newcastle’s succession plan after that.
As reported previously, Toon chief scout Steve Nixon has reportedly kept a close eye on the player of late, including during Valladolid’s league clash with Real Madrid last Friday, where the defender passed the Vinicius Jr. test with flying colors and also showcased stunning recovery speed.
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With other clubs also showing an interest in their top target, Newcastle are looking to move quickly, with some outlets even reporting that contact has been established with the player over personal terms.
As for the interest from Arsenal, they have ample right-back cover in Ben White, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Cedric Soares, but with the latter strongly linked with a move to Fulham this month, it makes sense to bring in someone with a view to nurturing him into a starter over time. Signing Fresneda would be shrewd for Arsenal in that sense.
The Daily Mail adds that the Spanish youngster’s agent was in London this weekend and is expecting a proposal for his client. It will be interesting to see what happens with Fresneda over the next few days, but Fresneda is certainly proving to be an appealing proposition for top clubs in January.
